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A $3.5 million dollar home can buy you lots of bells and whistles, but in some places, it can't keep the cobra away.

That's something Alan Kozlowski learned the hard way, after buying a strip of land on the southern tip of the Thai island of Koh Samui and building his dream home on it. The open-air space attracted not just snakes, but bats, foot-long geckos, and flying beetles.

"You're in the tropics, on their land. You have to make friends with them," he said. (Or have them removed from the property, as he did with the Cobra.)

In places like Southeast Asia, reports the Wall Street Journal, homes like Kozlowski's boast elaborate designs that integrate natural living into the structure. With bedrooms with retractable doors on an entire wall, or roofless bathrooms with shower heads sprouting from rocks or branches, they're becoming desirable retreats for those seeking the luxurious yet natural lifestyle.

Though it's something owners are fully aware they might have to deal with, it also presents health concerns. An owner of a home in Indonesia contracted dengue fever from the mosquitos. There are also wild storms to contend with, from monsoons to salty sea breezes.

Owners feel it's worth the trouble. It might be good advice to keep some antivenin in the fridge, just in case.